Late lifeline not enough to progress

FT: Tamworth 12 Bristol City

08 December 2013

Referee Andy D'Urso and his assistants, decked out in grey tops started a minute's applause before the game got underway with Tamworth attacking the Meadow Street End.Richards got the first shot of the game away in the opening exchanges but his effort struck a City defender and Peniket was unable to get on the rebound before it was cleared out of danger.Thjomas was forced to head a right sided cross by Moloney over his own bar for a left sided corner which Capaldi was forced to scramble behind at the far post for another flag kick and it fell for Elliott to strike from 25 yards but his shot was off target.Capaldi was booked on 6 for catching City captain Baldock on the half way line but the resultant freekick went straight through to Belford.A left footed shot from Bryan from the left channel on 9 went back to the Lambs keeper while at the other end, Thomas sent in a teasing cross from the right wing and keeper Parish was forced to push it away for a left sided flag kick which was blocked and allowed Morgan to try again but that too as cleared.A slip on the halfway line allowed Todd to advance towards goal and despite beating two defenders there were more in his way when he tried to shoot and a corner, which was cleared, was the result.From the cleared corner, Hildreth picked up a booking after preventing the run of Baldock over the halfway line.Another Lambs corner on the left caused problems for keeper Parish on 23 who came and ‘flapped' at the near post but escaped as the ball lifted over and behind the goal.A good unhindered move by City down the right ended with an off target snap shot from Emmanuel-Thomas on 25 .At the other end, on 28 Thomas cleared the away end by some distance, lifting a shot from the halfway line high over the visiting supporters.A foul by Richards-Everton on Moloney on the 5 yards from the edge of the Lambs area on 35 set up City with a freekick which Emmanuel-Thomas fired wide of the right hand upright.The visitors took the lead via a rasping drive from Emmanuel-Thomas that gave Belford no chance whatsoever - a great strike from the City player - definitely one for the cameras! (0-1, 36 mins)The Lambs escaped at their far post on 44 when a long ball from the right wing skimmed Taylor's head and bounced out past the frame of the goal much to the relief of the home faithful.Moloney struck a low shot from 25 yards shortly after the fourth official had indicated two minutes added time which saw the half end with no further incident.

HT: Tamworth 01 Bristol City

Tamworth got the second half underway and Capaldi prevented Baldock's right footed strike with a lunging tackle in front of Belford and the travelling fans.The Lambs escaped what looked to be a second City goal on 49 when Belford charged out and tried to clear Baldock's run and Wagstaff followed up but was unable to curl the ball home.A freekick for The Lambs was curled into the box by Capaldi on 51 but headed clear.Richards, Todd and Chadwick combined down the right on 52 only for the latter to have a poor first touch and keeper Parish smothered the effort.At the other end Thomas was beaten in the box by Baldock but the City player turned his shot out past the far post.Richards beat the offside trap and advanced toward goal on 54 but somehow missed the target from 6 yards out.Bryan pushed on through the middle of the Lambs midfield and defence and rolled the ball left to Cunningham on 58, but the resulting shot went high.Chadwick was forced from the field on the hour and this allowed former City striker on for the remainder of the game.A free kick was awarded on the left wing on 65 and Morgan fired the ball into the box but City cleared quickly and forced The Lambs to defend strongly.They turned defence into attack and Richards nearly planted the ball onto the outstretched boot of Byfield, in the six yard box.A corner was forthcoming on 70 which teased the Bristol defence into a required clearance.Substitute Kerry, on for Morgan on 73, sent a long deep ball into the box from the right but once again City were strong in defence and cleared the danger.Todd's header made Parish tip the ball onto the top of his own bar on 76 and from the right sided corner which failed to test the visitors.Good play from Kerry and Hildreth set up Thomas with a long range dip at goal on 78 but his powerful shot lacked direction.A long throw from Capaldi by the clubhouse earned Tamworth a corner when the City defence headed it behind.But Baldock took advantage of a slip at the back by Richards-Everton to make it 2-0 to the visitors, dinking the ball over Belford from 18 yards on 83.A Capaldi throw from the left caused problems once again and Todd's touch took it just over the line before being cleared and the linesman gave the goal to the jubilation of the home faithful but dismay of the City players. (1-2, 90 mins)Four minutes added time was then shown and The Lambs tried their hardest to get the ball in the final third.Thomas' pass to Byfield saw the latter tumble under pressure but there were no real shouts for a penalty and when play ran to the other end, a corner was awarded from Bryan's shot and the referee ended the game when the ball came back into play.